the auzentech cards are expensive but very good performers.. but the fatal1ty cards are the "newest gen" versions of the x-fi chip and have best performance out of the lot of them.. the ASUS cards will do well in a HTPC setup, not really good for gaming
I think only one game I have played since getting my X-Fi that actually uses EAX (that I have been aware of...maybe others did it but didn't tell me) is Civilisation 4. If my replacement X-Fi has the same problems as the one I am replacing then I would much rather take a hit on gaming sound quality in return for having a soundcard that:
- doesn't cause my pc to BSOD sometimes when changing mode
- remembers my microphone settings when I switch mode (ie doesn't turn on the mic loop-through to the speakers, causing feedback)
- doesn't almost consistently produce a very loud pop/crackling noise when firing rockets in TF2 or borderlands
- doesn't have crappy microphone sound quality (same on FP & back panel mic)
- doesn't occasionally completely spaz out with all sound being crackling/fuzzy/popping (not snap crackle & pop!)
These issues have occurred using a variety of drivers over 2 operating systems. I have done a lot of research on the issue and attempted lots of various fixes (which I don't see that I should have to do). Maybe I just have a particularly bad combination of hardware or settings somewhere that it doesn't like - but I've not been able to find a solution so I'm hoping it was just a faulty card - hence the return in the first place.
If I still have issues with the replacement I'm definitely not getting another one.
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